Immigration Benefits and Relief
The immigration laws and regulations provide some avenues to apply for lawful status from within the U.S. or to seek relief from deportation. The eligibility requirements for these benefits and relief can be stringent, and the immigration agencies often adopt overly restrictive interpretations of the requirements. Learn about advocacy and litigation that has been and can be undertaken to ensure that noncitizens have a fair chance to apply for the benefits and relief for which they are eligible. Providing avenues for legal status, protection, and family reunification is vital to ensuring humanitarian protection for immigrants. We are leading policy changes that open more opportunities like asylum, visas for victims of crime or human trafficking, and relief for long-term residents. Explore the resources below to learn more.
Trump Administration Ends Protections for Long-Time Salvadoran Residents
The Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen announced the Trump administration will end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 200,000 individuals from El Salvador after 17 years. TPS allows individuals to live and work in the United States while their country experiences armed conflict, environmental disasters, and extraordinary and temporary conditions. The administration’s decision to end… Read More
Faith and Community Leaders Urge Trump Administration to Extend Temporary Protected Status for El Salvador
With just a matter of days left before the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) must decide the fate of 200,000 Salvadorans, momentum around this community of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders is only growing. As the majority of Salvadoran TPS recipients have lawfully lived and worked in the… Read More
Congress Fails to Act on Protection for Dreamers In 2017
Today, Congress agreed to continue funding the federal government at current levels through January 19, 2018, but it will not address a permanent legislative solution for Dreamers this year. Despite strong bipartisan support for including a legislative fix for Dreamers in the spending bill, Congress punted the issue to next year. Some in Congress argue that… Read More
What You Need to Know About Temporary Protected Status Recipients from El Salvador
In the first days of 2018, 200,000 Salvadorans who have been vetted and are lawfully living and working in the United States will learn whether they will lose their immigration status. Having lived in the United States for decades, any decision to end their Temporary Protected Status (TPS) would… Read More
Where Doug Jones Stands on Immigration Policy
Doug Jones, a former Democratic prosecutor once considered a longshot in Republican-majority Alabama, narrowly won the state’s Senate race Tuesday evening in what may ultimately prove to be a needed boost for immigrants’ rights on Capitol Hill. Jones’ stance on immigration was largely captured during the contentious Senate race,… Read More
The Dream Act Could Add Millions to Your Congressional District
Current and former recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) initiative are asking Congress to recognize the impact they and other Dreamers have on the United States, and to subsequently pass legislation that protects them from deportation and places them on a path to citizenship. One of… Read More
The Senate Has Confirmed Kirstjen Nielsen as Secretary of Homeland Security
This afternoon, the United States Senate confirmed Kirstjen Nielsen to be the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). As Secretary, she will oversee an ever-growing agency which includes the enforcement and services functions of immigration, airport security, disaster relief, the Secret Service, and more. During her confirmation… Read More
Dreamer Movement Gains Support as Deadline for a Legislative Solution Approaches
A growing coalition is voicing its support for finding a permanent, legislative solution for the young immigrants thrown into limbo with the recent termination of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) initiative. With more and more Dreamers losing their status by the day, a groundswell of support is… Read More
As DHS Ends TPS for Haiti, a Pattern Emerges. What Comes Next?
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced last week that it would be ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti. 50,000 Haitians, along with hundreds of thousands of nationals from other countries, now face an uncertain future which could result in deportation to a country struggling to recover from… Read More
Judge Grants Temporary Reprieve From Deportation to Indonesians Fearing Religious Persecution
After being lured to participate in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) initiative that promised a reprieve from deportation, 51 Indonesian nationals suddenly were at risk for removal once again when the government agency decided to abruptly terminate the program. But on Monday, a federal district court judge in Boston… Read More
